Education Of The Virgin c. 1655

Editor: So, here we have Murillo's "Education of the Virgin," painted around 1655, oil on canvas. There's this sweetness to it, a tender, almost idealized portrayal of Mary learning to read. But what I find striking is the contrast between the grounded figures and those floating cherubs – what’s your take on it? Curator: That contrast, I think, gets right to the heart of Murillo. He balances the everyday, almost domestic, with the divine. The scene is intimate, look how gently Anne holds Mary's hand – a scene anyone could recognize from their own upbringing – but then we are transported with these rosy cherubs tumbling through the sky above! Perhaps they reflect Mary's nascent connection with Heaven, and the sacred destiny ahead. Do you feel any echoes of the world outside this enclosed, almost stagey, domestic scene? Editor: Hmmm, interesting thought! I guess the classicizing column suggests more grand and monumental spaces... It could symbolize the power and legacy she will embody, right? Curator: Exactly! But consider how subtly Murillo achieves this. There are no theatrical gestures here, it's all conveyed through light, color, and composition. A Baroque dream! Even the wispy drapery directs our gaze. But isn't there also, a shadow of something more...mundane here, too? The baby in the basket! It hints that everyday human existence continues and the viewer shares their space. Editor: It's such a compelling tension. I can see how his personal, intimate perspective makes the holy accessible. Curator: Yes! A masterclass of suggestion through composition. What I initially saw as sentimentality now strikes me as profound emotional intelligence! Editor: Me too! It's easy to see this at surface value, but knowing about the layering gives me a greater understanding of the scene as a whole!